The application relates to apparatuses for moving a relatively hardened material strip relative to a semi-solid material strip and to related methods.
Current processes of making strips of material for industrial use, such as conveyor belts, may include pouring a liquid elastomer up against the end of a pre-formed strip segment. The joining of two ends of a strip to create a ring structure results in two cold joints. Strips are especially vulnerable to failure at this position. The location of the interface is known as a cold joint. During curing, the liquid elastomer—which is a thermoset polymer—undergoes shrinkage. This shrinkage causes the curing material to pull away from the formed material, resulting in a weaker joint that may fail under tension.